Carp Fishing Helicopter Rig Systems Explained... | Steve Hill
Struggling to know when you should be using a Helicopter Rig Lead System in your carp fishing? In this short article and video, OMC's Steve Hill explains the basics of the Helicopter system and how to set it up...
Many anglers out there get a little confused with Lead Systems and which they should be using in a specific situation. The Helicopter Rig is one in particular that people struggle with but when we take a closer look at how it works, the answer is simple...
The Helicopter Rig incorporates a Lead at the bottom of your Mainline or Leader and the Hooklink/Rig running above it between two Beads or Stops. Fishing like this allows the Lead or Feeder to plug into the bottom substrate and the Hooklink/Rig, which is forced up to the top Bead on the cast, to slowly flutter down and sit over any bottom debris. In contrast to this, on weedy, choddy or silty bottoms, a traditional Lead Clip or Inline Lead System may 'plug in' taking your Hooklink, Rig and Hookbait with them!
Another benefit of the Helicopter Lead System is that because the Rig circles around the Leader or Mainline like the blades of a Helicopter, it is very good at preventing tangles on the cast.
The downsides of the Helicopter Rig are that the extra movement that provides better presentation can give the fish more wiggle room to eject the Hook, as they are not in direct contact with the Lead. To reduce the chances of this happening, adjust the Beads to suit the particular bottom you're fishing over and make sure your Hooks are razor sharp!
Steve Hill is one of the faces of the OMC Sponsored Angler Team and an experienced Carp Angler. Alongside OMC's Roo Abbott, he runs Carp Tuition Socials, where he shares his skills and knowledge with beginners to the sport.
